Hair curler



Nov. 14, 1939. N. L. SOLOMON HAIR CURLER Filed Au 28, 1936 INVENTQR 1.x W

ATTORNEY Patented Nov.. 14, 1939 era's orrice HAIR CURLER.

Nathan L. Solomon, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 28, 1936, Serial No. 98,319

1 Claim.

The present invention is directed to the art of curling hair and its chief objects among others is to provide an. improved but simplified hair curler of the type which may be advantageously employed without inconvenience to the user during slumber, which is efficient and reliable in operation, which from the standpoint of wear will stand up under considerable and appreciable usage, and which may be readily assembled with the greatest of ease and convenience.

Tie invention has a further object the provision of an improved hair curler wherein a tubular perforated and flexible member is provided at one end with means for conveniently anchoring a portion of the hair to be curled whereby upon rotation of the tubular member remaining portions thereof may be wound longitudinally of the body of the member after which a swingable loop is utilized to sustain coiled hair in place.

The invention has as a further object the provision of a novel hair curler wherein the sides of the hair holding loop comprises means for distending spaced portions of the flexible tubular member to compensate for increased separation of the arms of the loop under appreciable curling load whereby a forward portion of the loop is caused to be displaced towards a rear end of the tubular member to prevent accidental or involuntary disengagement of the loop from the forward end of the tubular member.

The invention has as an additional object to provide a hair curler characterized by a flexible tubular member which pivotally sustains a swingable loop having means cooperating with the sides of the tubular member to prevent accidental disengagement of the loop from the latter.

The provision further comprehends as an object the provision of a simplified but novel hair curler wherein a swingable cover is normally disposed in part in spaced relation to a tubular member to constitute with the latter an acute angle whereby upon the insertion of hair between the tube and cover the latter assumes a position substantially parallel to the tube to facilitate removal of the coiled hair from the curler after processing thereof.

The invention has as a further object the provision of a hair curler in which a swingable loop cooperates to flex a terminal lip of the tubular flexible member in the direction of movement of the travel of the loop to permit the latter to slip by the lip and be disposed in interlocking relation with a striated part of the tubular member.

The invention further contemplates as an object the provision of an improved curler wherein an outward thrust is applied to the loop during closing thereof thus causing opposing ends of the arms of the loop to move outwardly but is prevented from being detached from the tubular member by the coaction of offset terminals of the loop cooperating with the sides of the bore of the flexible tubular member.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be more readily understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when considered in the light of the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view in perspective of my improved curler according to the invention, particularly illustrating the resilient loop opened and a portion of the hair to be coiled disposed in a striated forward portion of the flexible and perforated tube.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the curler however illustrating the forward end of the loop in a closed and interlocked relation.

Fig. 3 is a perspective and fragmentary view of the rear end of the curler.

Fig. 4 is a front and elevationalview of the curler, showing the loop about to pass over a terminal lip flexed in a direction counter to the movement of the swingable loop.

Fig. 5 is a front and elevational View of the curler wherein the loop is about ready to snap over a terminal lip flexed in a direction of the movement of the swingable loop.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational View of a modified curler, showing the cover closed but the loop opened.

Fig. '7 is an end view of Fig. 6 on a larger scale, and

8 is a fragmentary view of Fig. 6.

Illustrative of the embodiments disclosed, the hair curler according to the invention is generally denoted H3. As shown in Figs. 1-5 inclusive, the hair curler it comprises a one piece tubular body H and a one piece resilient swingable wire loop !2. The body is substantially cylindrical and is provided with a plurality of rows of openings 3 to facilitate ventilation and rapid drying of the hair. The tubular body is of relatively flexible material such as rubber or the like although the invention is not limited in this respect.

The forward end of the tubular member or body includes means for initially anchoring a portion of the hair to be processed. In this con,- nection, this end is provided with a substantially diametrically disposed striation or slot l4 defining the spaced and opposing lips l5 between which strands of hair are initially inserted. Pursuant to rotation of the tubular body the hair inserted between the lips becomes anchored in the slot formed thereby.

The swingable loop l2 includes spaced outwardly bowed sides I! which are integrally interconnected at their forward ends by a closed end or brace 18. Each of the arms ll of the loop is provided with an ofiset terminal generally denoted l9 and each terminal includes an inwardly extending portion 20, an intermediate portion or shoulder 22, and an end portion 23. As illustrated each of the inwardly projecting terminal portions 20 is journalled in an opening 2|.

By the present arrangement, openings 2| are substantially diametrically disposed and serve as bearings for rotatably supporting the inwardly extending portions 20. The end portions 23 are in abutting relation and in alinement while the intermediate portions or shoulders 22 movably but slightly bear against contiguous portions of the bore of the tube. The intermediate portions 22 are disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member and the inwardly turned portions 2|] are substantially parallel to the remotely disposed brace l8 and the abutting andalined ends 23 of the offset terminals .of the loop.

In Fig. 1, a portion of hair is inserted in the slotted end of the flexible tube. Upon slight rotation of the tube relative to its horizontal axis, the portion of the hair inserted becomes appropriately anchored. Further rotation of the tube in the same direction and remaining parts of the inserted hair may be coiled longitudinally of the tubular member. The loop is now swung from the open position shown in Fig. 1 to its closed position shown in Fig. 2.

During rotationof the loop relative to the tube, intermediate portions or shoulders 22 cooperate with the body of the tube to prevent lateral shifting of the loop in respect to the body of the tube. As the loop continues in its swing brace [8 thereof meets or strikes a lip or prong l5 causing the latter to flex in the direction of movement of the throw of the loop. Eventually brace 18 slips over the terminal of the struck lip and is disposed in the slot between the lips while the struck lip is freed and by its own resiliency assumes its normal position.

With the loop interlocked between the spaced lips, the bowed sides of the loop cooperate to compress the hair wound upon the tube. Where however a relatively large curling load has been wound upon the tube and the loop is thrown to its closed position considerable stress is applied to the bowed arms, causing the latter to move outwardly. Under such circumstances this stress is in part also transmitted to the intermediate portions or shoulders 22 of the arms, thus distending the adjacent portions of the body of the tube in an outward direction but since shoulders 22 are in abutting relation against contiguous portions of the tubular member, the offset ends of the loop do not become disengaged from the tube even though under appreciable curling load.

Even though the curling load is appreciable and although the shoulders of the ofiset terminals of the loop distend adjacent portions of the tube, the brace E8 of the loop is maintained in an interlocking relation with the spaced terminal lips and is confined in the gap formed thereby for according to the invention if the loop be deformed due to appreciable curling load brace 18 moves downwardly in the gap l4 even though the offset terminals of the loop are slightly spread apart. It follows also that due to excessive or appreciable curling load, the offset rear terminals of the swingable loop do not slip out of their bearings by reason of the abutting action of the intermediate shoulders 22 against the sides of the bore of the tube.

Instead of closing the loop by causing the brace thereof to be sprung over and flex one of the lips I5 in the direction of movement of the loop, the loop may be closed by passing'the brace thereof over a lip which has been flexed in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the loop. In this connection attention is directed to Fig. 5 wherein one of the lips has been bent or flexed upwardly whereby the brace l8 may clear the terminal of the bent lip as the loop moves to its closed position. With brace l8 once clear or" the flexed lip the latter is released and assumes its normal position.

According to the form shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 the hair curler is of the type having a tapered perforated tube 30 on which is mounted a swing able cover 3!. This cover is pivotally mounted on inwardly turned portions 20 of each of the oiiset arms of the loop l2 which is of the type described in connection with Figs. 1-6 inclusive except that its front end is provided with a contracted portion 32 forming lips 33 adapted to disconnectably snap into engagement with the walls of the spaced recess 34.

As illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, cover 3! is disposed at an acute angle in respect to the tube 30. Hence the rear of the cover is raised in respect to the rear of the tube. By this arrangement the cover and tube are arranged substantially parallel to each other when an average curling load is interposed between the cover and the tube, thus readily permitting withdrawal of a curl from the curler after having been processed thereby. When an appreciable curling load is applied to the form disclosed in Figs. 6, '7 and 8 the intermediate shoulders 22 cooperate with the sides of the tube to prevent accidental removal of the abutting ends of the loop from the tube.

In the form shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the cover and tube are made of relatively light weight sheet metal such as aluminum or the like although the invention is not limited to this particular material while the loop is of suitable wire and swingably supports the cover relative to the tube.

Having now described my invention what I claim is:

In a hair curler, an elongated tubular flexible member having a slot for removably anchoring a portion of hair to be wound about said member, a loop having bowed sides adapted to straddle the sides of said member and comprising offset shoulders, and bearing means for swingably supporting said loop, said loop having means adapted to pass by a forward terminal portion of said member and be disposed in said slot to removably interlock said member and loop, said shoulders comprising means adapted to distend said memher under relatively appreciable curling load interposed between said member and loop to prevent disengagement of said loop from said member.

NATHAN L. SOLOMON. 

